The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Bridge City adds rezoning to upcoming public hearing

Public hearings will be added for rezoning purposes to an already scheduled hearing concerning annexation for the city of Bridge City.

The council approved a public hearing for rezoning from single family residential to second commercial district and for single family residential to office district the evening of July 21.

The council approved two public hearings regarding the proposed annexation plan for the city at their last meeting on June 17. The two dates set are at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 21 and Tuesday, July 22.

The first request is from Mike Wilson for a zone change on a 2.93 acre tract of land out of the Samuel Davis Survey. A .23 acre tract of land described as an access easement will also be added.

This property is located off Miller Drive on FM 408 behind the A-1 Mind Deal Storage and Tiger Rock Martial Arts. The property will be used for the expansion of the Kidzworld Day Care at 1875 Miller Drive.

The second request was from STI Group Fabrication on property located at 290 Nevils Road at Orange County Farms.

It will be used to build a new office complex which will be located directly across from their fabrication facility at 325 Nevils.

The proposed annexation for the city will extend two fingers toward the Rainbow Bridge.

The new city limits will be where the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction now lies- to an island in the middle of the Sabine River near the Rainbow Bridge. A strip of land on FM 1442 will also be annexed.

Jones said there’s a total of 1,022 acres that can possibly be annexed by the city.

In other council business, the council approved awarding employee medical coverage to Humana and to continue employee dental, life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage with Principal for the 2014-2015 year.

Dale Etheridge, an Orange insurance agent, said he received bids from five insurance companies for dental, life and medical insurance. The city was with Aetna and will remain with them until August 1, 2014. The renewal would be 12 percent more.

Humana was lower and very comparable to what city employees currently have.

Etheridge said there are hurdles with Obabmacare with a five percent premium which is really a tax paid on group insurance for the government to supplement Obamacare.

City Manager Jerry Jones said the deductible combined went down $1,500 while the co-insurance went up.

The policy for the city was $42,972 per month. The new policy is $39,732, roughly a difference of $1,500.

Children’s insurance costs is up to $410 per month for city employees. Jones said it has been adjusted and will stay the same.

An account has been set up by the city for employees who need assistance.